


Nate Buys Presents--The Christmas Job

by crayonbreakygal



Category: Leverage
Genre: Angst, Christmas, Drama, F/M, Gifts, Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:07:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21984157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crayonbreakygal/pseuds/crayonbreakygal
Summary: Christmas is not the easiest time of year for Nate Ford.
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Parker, Sophie Devereaux/Nathan Ford
Comments: 10
Kudos: 37





	1. Year One

**Author's Note:**

> Not every season has a Christmas episode. And the timing of each episode is either on Christmas or doesn't fit with Christmas. My timing may be a bit off, but go with it! Happy reading! Happy holidays to all who celebrate.

Nate Buys Presents--The Christmas Job

Year One:

Takes place after “The Miracle Job” season one

Christmas. What day was it? Was it the day before? Nate had lost track of the actual day. He just knew that with the festive decorations still displayed that he hadn’t missed the day, yet. Oh, he had wanted to miss the day. Possibly the whole damn month. He could throw the year away and wouldn’t miss it one bit. 

Grabbing a cart, he immediately made a beeline for the alcohol. Thank goodness for California. Too many states wouldn’t let you buy booze at one am. Also, thank the fuck for 24-hour drug stores. Plenty of things to choose from, alcohol being one of them. 

After replenishing his stock of cheap booze, he meandered, hoping to be inspired with what to buy. He wasn’t the only one. Many men, mostly middle-aged like he was, picking up a gift, throwing it in their carts, and racing to the front to pay for them. Ah, the old “forgetting to shop for gifts and leaving it until Christmas Eve”. They had the whole day though. Why this early? 

The whole damn holiday was getting on his nerves, especially the songs being piped into the store. He relished the quiet, so he could think. 

What should he get them? He knew that they’d get something for him. His mother often chastised him when he was young, forgetting a birthday or something that required a small gift or at least an acknowledgment. Getting cuffed on the head was most certainly a reminder also.

Nate picked up a pair of socks, noticing some character crap on them. One down. He threw into the basket a set of something that looked like a man who actually cared about his appearance might use. Two down. A small set of tiny screwdrivers in a small carrying case. Three down. Oh god, the last one. The hardest one. The one who probably had everything she could ever want (except him because that would cause all sorts of issues).

The smell hit his nose as he walked to the next aisle. Someone had been spraying something that reminded him of Sophie. Flowery, but not pungent. He often smelled different fragrances that Sophie wore. It was all part of the act, part of the persona. Whether it be a tough as nails career woman (her smell was clean without lingering), to that Southern Belle (gardenias clung to his clothes for days), and whatever she wore in between jobs, Nate just knew this was what she’d smell like while not grifting her heart out. Picking the small bottle up, he spritzed it into the air just to make sure. Now he’d definitely smell like Sophie Devereaux.

A package of festive bags rounded out his purchases. A bag of chips and some salsa for dinner (hey, salsa was sort of a vegetable) and Nate was good to go. The successful hunt for Christmas presents was now done. He could rest, drink, wrap (well, put the gifts into bags), and play Santa before anyone knew what was going on.

“Oh, socks. They’re soft,” Parker exclaimed from her office.

Nate wasn’t sure why they’d all come into the office on Christmas, but here they were. There wasn’t a case. He thought he could get the gifts distributed and be out of there before anyone knew who had played Santa. 

“You can never have too many of these tiny screwdrivers. I must have lost a dozen of them. Cool.”

Hardison seemed pleased.

“These will come in handy,” Nate heard from Eliot’s office.

Nothing. Not a sound from Sophie’s office. He wondered if she had left before opening her present. It wasn’t what she was used to or at the price point she probably paid for all her accouterments. 

He swished his drink in his glass, ice tinkling against the sides. Parker came sliding past his door, obviously in her new socks.

“What, what are you doing? Get your crap off the table,” he heard Eliot grump to Hardison.

“Hey, I gotta look at this computer. It’s my job. Remember?”

“Do you have to put all your tools everywhere?”

“There’s not enough room in my office. Just go style your hair or somethin’. Other people have to work on Christmas,” Hardison exclaimed, voice getting louder with his last sentence.

“You smell good,” Nate heard Parker say.

“That ain’t me,” Eliot had answered her back.

“I can’t believe one man has that many products for his hair.”

Nate chuckled to himself. As silently as he could, he made his way to the front door, not wanting to disturb the other three and their antics. Hardison and Eliot could go on for hours with the quips back and forth with Parker acting like a tennis match observer. His job was done. Maybe it was the fact that this might be a Christmas miracle. Maybe dealing with Father Paul had put Nate in a better mood. Nostalgia sometimes would do that. They had done some good in the community by keeping those church doors open for everyone. Not that Nate had planned on visiting again any time soon.

As Nate opened the door to leave, he caught a whiff of the scent he had bought Sophie. It was faint, but there. So, she did open her present after all. Nate breathed deeply all the way down the hall, following the exact route that she had taken. His work was done. He would never own up to getting the presents. Let them wonder if it was the other. None of them would fess up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Yes, it looks as if you can buy alcohol at CVS until 2am in California. And there are 24-hour pharmacies too. I’ve been to the one in Montrose, but I’m thinking that Nate went to the one on Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles. That seems to be the closest one to downtown, if that’s where he lived in season one.


	2. Year Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate misses Sophie.

Year Two:

Takes place a few months after “The Lost Heir Job” season two

They all scattered. It had been agreed that they would all meet up at the beginning of the new year. Sophie leaving had put a damper on operating with just the four of them. Their first job out had almost turned into a disaster, with Hardison taking the brunt of his mistakes. Those Russians had meant business. Without Parker’s skills on the fly, it could have turned out badly for all of them.

And then Sophie had to go and meddle from a continent away, sending in a pinch hitter to be their grifter. To say that it was going swimmingly was an overstatement. Tara was good, but not Sophie. She was only in it for the paycheck.

Nate’s heart wasn’t exactly in it to pull any more jobs. Every time he’d find a client, he’d assess, then pull back, knowing that not having Sophie’s expertise would hinder his planning. He just didn’t trust Tara yet. Hence the “break” from each other for a time. 

The other three had sort of understood he needed time to process. They had pulled several jobs after Sophie had left. The ebb and flow that they had developed as a team came to a screeching halt. They would have to develop another way of working with each other minus Sophie. For now, it was good to take a break. Nate was damn tired. His brain had been working on overdrive without having Sophie as a sounding board. She was there, just a moment away on the phone. He didn’t want to bother her. He had promised he wouldn’t bother her until he did. 

The last time he had video conferenced with her, he saw the decorations in the background. Her festively decorated surroundings reminded Nate that life went on without him in the picture. She was celebrating how she wanted, without him in the picture.

Nate meandered down the street, hat pulled low on his head to ward off the chill that had settled with the snow slowly drifting to the ground. Christmas music wafted through the air, coming from passing cars, stores, people humming. He wanted to shout at them all to shut the hell up, that Christmas wasn’t a time of joy, but a time of sorrow, at least for him. 

Tara had disappeared at the first moment of Nate telling them all that they needed a break for the holidays. The other three weren’t so fast at moving though. They had shown up on occasion. Research, Hardison had said as Nate found him that morning, tapping away at his computer. It could have waited. Eliot had shown up with food, pointing out that he knew that Hardison would be hard at work and forget to eat. Parker had shown up suddenly, as she always did, poking Eliot until he grumped at her to stop. All three of them didn’t stop coming into his space, even though he had told them that they were free to do anything they wanted.

Nate raised his head as he smelled a familiar scent. Dammit Sophie, Nate thought. He knew he’d never be able to forget that scent that he had bought for her that first Christmas when none of them had wanted to disappear. Hardison still used those tools, Eliot must have gone through all those hair supplies that he had bought, but who knew, and Parker on occasion would wear those socks when her feet got cold.

Nate had left them all, wanting to get out of the apartment. It hadn’t been decorated, thank goodness. There were still smells coming from the kitchen though, which meant they all were staying put for the time being. 

A brightly lit sign pulled Nate out of his melancholy. He stopped for a moment on the sidewalk as he glanced over at the shop. Huh, he thought. Interesting. He had never noticed the place before. It was small but had a festive display in its window. Another way to kill time before he had to go back and throw them out.

The door jingled as he opened it. There were a few customers wandering through, baskets in hand. Last-minute shoppers as always. Nate had always been that, even when Sam was alive. Maggie had taken on the brunt of getting him gifts and making the holidays special. It certainly was not Nate’s forte. He would buy gifts and often did throughout the year as he traveled the world. That last Christmas, the one they had all spent together had been a joyous one. Sam still believed in Santa Claus but tried his best to hunt for any presents that they had bought him. Santa brought some, his parents had contributed some. That made it easier if he ever found the stash, which he did once or twice. 

He had been sick, in and out of the hospital, but seemed to be finally on the mend. Nate and Maggie had agreed to stop their fighting if just for the holiday season. It had actually worked, although she still did not like the fact that he was going to be rolling into town on Christmas Eve. Luckily, he had caught an earlier flight, missing a storm that had been brewing over most of the country. He had arrived with presents in hand. Sam was the happiest boy in the world as he opened present after present. Nothing was too good for him. He spent time with each present, showing his parents his glee at his haul.

Nate stared at the display on a table, a colorful wooden toy sitting on top of a box. That would have been something Sam would have loved when he was a toddler. In his mind, Sam would always be that eight-year-old who loved baseball and Legos. 

“Anything I can help you with?” the store clerk asked as Nate turned to leave.

Nate stopped in his tracks as he spotted a set of books on a shelf.

“Just looking.”

“If you need anything, just holler.”

The woman turned and walked back to another customer who had chosen a few things. Nate really did not want to deal with anyone, much less an enthusiastic clerk in a store. But the books intrigued him. As he approached, he could read the labels on each of them. They were all used it seemed, spines already cracked from use. There didn’t seem to be a rhyme or reason to how they were arranged.

Pulling one off the shelf, he noticed it was a compilation of fairy tales. The illustration on the cover was beautiful. Picking it up, he flipped through it. For some reason, he thought of Parker. What kind of education had she gotten? Had she really read any literature? He knew how smart she really was. Placing it under his arm, he started to thumb through the rest of the collection. He noticed a book on hacking for beginners. Hardison would get a chuckle out of this one and would critique it for months. He added that to his pile. One cookbook later (of course that would be for Eliot), then Nate decided he was done. Except he was forgetting one person. The coffee table book on fashion caught his eye. Sophie had lost most of her possessions that had been in her apartment. She might appreciate this book if just to have something to flip through on occasion. Nate quickly added a book on the world’s greatest female spy for Tara. His collection was complete. He even had the clerk wrap them for him. He paid her handsomely for the task since he would have been awful at it. 

After a quick trip to the post office to ship the one book, Nate made his way back to his place with his other purchases. It hadn’t mattered that it would cost more to ship the book to Sophie than the cost of it. He hoped that she was still staying in London. It would get there the day after Christmas, but there was nothing he could do about that. 

It was silent as he made it back to his place. They all had vacated. The silence was deafening. Nate had gotten used to the chatter of the other three, sometimes faint but sometimes nerve-racking. That meant Nate had to deliver the presents himself. He had long ago figured out where each of them lived, so that wouldn’t be an issue. All except for Tara though. He still had no idea where she resided.

It took hours to traipse all over Boston, but the gifts were delivered or dropped off at their doors. No reason to have any interaction with the other three. 

Coming back to his darkened and silent apartment, Nate hung his jacket up. As he looked over at the sofa and table, he saw a small Christmas tree. It was no taller than a few feet, artificial by the looks of it. And it was also a teal blue. The multicolored lights lit up the area around it. Beside it was a cheerily decorated gift, elaborate bow on top.

Nate sat down heavily on the sofa, contemplating if he should open it or not. It had to be one of the three. No way Parker would have the patience to wrap that well, but the tree was right up her alley. The wrapping was more Sophie’s style. He didn’t recognize the writing on the card. The only thing written on it was his name.

Nate slowly pulled the bow off it, hoping to not ruin it just in case. In case of what Nate didn’t know. It was what his mother had always done. Nate would be plowing through his presents, ripping the paper off while his mother would carefully pull the tape off like she was preserving the paper for later use (which he found out later she was).

It just wasn’t one book, it was five, stacked together in a box to be wrapped as one. The first one was about the Black Dahlia murder. A little gruesome, but never solved. The next was a book of Sherlock Holmes stories. Nate had read many of them when he was younger, but there were so many of them and it was a long time ago. The next one was a book called Computers for Dummies. It even had the word “seniors” in italics. Dammit, Hardison. The next book was on how to understand women. Nate snort-laughed at this one. Just because he read a book about how to deal with the women in his life didn’t mean he’d get it. Someone was reaching (probably Tara).

The last book he turned over and over in his hands. It was a children’s book. Nate’s heart took a sudden turn, thudding thunderously as he opened it. It was a Robert Frost poem, beautifully illustrated. So maybe not necessarily a children’s book, but it could be shared as such.

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,” Nate started to read but stopped.

This would have been something he would have shared with Sam, if there had been time. There was never enough time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: The Road Not Taken. So yes, there is a book called Computers for Dummies, Senior addition. I think that Parker would love a book on fairytales. And Sophie most definitely would love a big book about the history of fashion. There are books about how to deal with women (or men as the case may be). I did find beautifully illustrated books (actually two) that were based on Robert Frost poems.


	3. Year Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate and Sophie buy the kids gifts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: bit of sexy times with Nate and Sophie near the end. Nothing graphic.

Year Three:

Takes place after “The Ho Ho Ho Job” Season three

He really needed to tell Sophie to cut it out with the neurolinguistic programming. He swore that was how she got him to do her bidding this year. Nate certainly didn’t care about Christmas. All he wanted to do was take a break, just like they had the year before. Then he got shot, was imprisoned, broken out, blackmailed into taking Damien Moreau down. As Sophie kept telling him, this might be the last Christmas any of them would celebrate. He thought she was just trying to make him feel guilty. It worked.

Once she saw his ideas on the gifts to buy, she was impressed and had told him so. That didn’t mean he couldn’t still be a grinch though. They still had a lot of planning to do to take Moreau down, even if what he was now planning might not work. So many things would have to fall into place. But on to Christmas. Bah Humbug.

Sophie’s was the last gift he got because it was the hardest to buy. He swore she had already ransacked his bedroom looking for presents. She had claimed it wasn’t her, but he knew her M.O. A few things were out of place. Not many people would notice, but he did. Parker would never leave a hair out of place much less anything else. Hardison would leave lots of evidence. Eliot could care less. So, it had to be her. That’s why he waited until the last moment (and the fact he had no idea what to get her).

The kids (yes, they acted like kids on Christmas morning) were ecstatic with their gifts. He’d have to pay for the chair that Eliot hacked apart, but it wasn’t a big deal. As he watched Parker sort and smell her non-sequential bills, heard the tiny noise coming out of the corner where Hardison had parked himself, Nate actually smiled. A successful Christmas once again. Now time for a drink. Sophie smiled as she put on her gift. He wondered if she would take it to be engraved or would wear it with “your name here” forever. No one would get the joke other than the four of them.

The name that was crumpled in his pocket was probably one of the best gifts he had ever received. Not that he believed Sophie one bit. Sure, she possibly went by that name at one point. It had never shown up on his radar.

“Was this your name on the first grift you ever pulled?”

“Nate? It’s a gift for you. Take it as it is.”

“Ooh, I am. It’s just, I’m still not sure you’re being honest with me.”

“When have I not been honest?”

The two of them had gotten closer over the last few months. Now mere inches separated them. He didn’t flinch nor did he back away. Even last year he would have backed away from her and hid until they all went away. He could smell that subtle perfume on her again. She hadn’t used all of it. Did she just use it when she knew she needed to wrap him around her little finger and do her bidding?

“Most of your life, but who’s counting.”

Nate almost broke out in a sweat as she trailed one of her fingers down the back of his hand to his wrist.

“Nate,” she started.

It was that purr in his voice that he heard yet again a few short weeks later, right after they had finally taken down Moreau once and for all. It was close, Moreau almost beat them, but in the end, he was behind bars. The Italian got what she wanted.

“Nate,” Sophie sighed in his ear.

Nate’s head swam from all the alcohol they both had consumed and what they were attempting to do (and would finish if Sophie would get a move on). Sophie Devereaux was most definitely stunning without clothes, especially as she slowly made her way up his body that was now sans clothing too. 

He should have asked for this for Christmas, but the timing was off. Now it wasn’t. How could one woman feel that good to him? Maybe he’d read the book that Tara had given him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: A real Christmas episode! It was broadcast on December 12th, 2010 though, with the last episode on December 19th since they broadcast the last two episodes on the same day (The Big Bang Job and The San Lorenzo Job). So yeah, they didn’t go after Moreau until after the New Year I’m thinking, but that’s just me. Or it could be later since there’s no snow on the ground and it doesn’t seem to be that cold (costumes on the show).


	4. Year Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exchanging of presents.

Year Four:

Takes place after “The Boys’ Night Out Job” season four

Hurley was gone, there were no more people shooting at him and he could finally rest. Parker had been slow to put up the tree this year, but there she was, hanging her expensive ornaments here and there. The most expensive tree on the planet right in his apartment. 

The smells coming out of his kitchen was making his mouth water. Eliot had warned each of them that he didn’t want them to ruin their appetites. Nate’s stomach rumbled as he watched Hardison watch Parker. He didn’t say anything, nor would he say anything. It wasn’t like he had room to talk. He was doing the exact same thing with Sophie. Oh damn, he really did not want to know what the two of them were up to, but if he could guess by the looks that Hardison was giving Parker, it probably was close to what he and Sophie had gotten up to last night. Maybe not as vivid as what he was picturing because Sophie had been quite inventive the night before. His back was still a bit sore because of it.

The other three knew that he and Sophie were now an item. Boyfriend/girlfriend? He was too old for that. Significant others? That sounded like they were further along than they were. Friends with benefits was what Sophie had kept saying. They were now certainly friends. And what they were doing in any free time they had were definitely benefitting the both of them, minus the sore muscles in his back.

That friend walked into his apartment, shopping bags hanging from her arms. They had agreed to no gifts this year. Apparently, Sophie hadn’t gotten the memo or had ignored it all together. Parker’s look of glee on her face said it all. Christmas meant so much to the younger woman. Nate would never understand her fascination with the holiday since she probably wasn’t treated all that well when she was a kid. He bet that she never even got many presents much less love from anyone in her life before the team joined up. 

“Sophie,” Parker squealed.

Nate needed a drink.

“Hey, gifts?” Hardison asked as he shut his computer.

“Just a few tiny things.”

“Yay.”

Parker was starting to get too excited.

“We drew names. Remember?”

What? What was Eliot talking about? Why wasn’t he informed? What the hell were they doing?

“As I said, tiny things.”

Sophie pulled out three small packages, brightly wrapped. Parker almost jumped out of her skin as she shook her present. Hardison then pulled out four envelopes and handed them out.

“Wait, wait. It’s not Christmas Day yet?”

“It is in London. Close enough,” Sophie announced.

“Sounds good to me,” Hardison agreed.

“Whatever,” Eliot added.

Nate crossed his arms as he watched the four of them exchange gifts amongst themselves. He hadn’t bought anything this year because they said no gifts. Dammit.

Downing his drink, he wandered over to his desk, shuffling papers as he watched them share what they’d gotten.

“A motorcycle?” he heard Parker exclaim.

“Yeah, momma. You know I gotcha something nice.”

“Nate, get over here and open your gifts.”

“Later,” Nate grumped out, swallowing the rest of the liquid in his glass.

“Come on, Ebenezer Scrooge. We’re waiting.”

Nate sighed as he picked up his now empty glass. Sophie rolled her eyes as he refilled it, setting it down at the dining table they had all parked themselves at to open all their gifts.

“I’m not even gonna ask how much that motorcycle costs,” Eliot said as he straddled his chair.

“Don’t matter.”

“I do like my gift though,” Eliot finished as he looked down at the large box at his feet. 

Nate had only seen the words knives on the side. Probably something to do with cooking he figured.

“It’s just, I didn’t, I mean, I couldn’t…” Nate was at a loss for words.

“What? You already gave us something,” Parker commented.

“I didn’t…”

“Yeah, you did,” Hardison told him. “Us.”

“Us? You mean…”

“The team. Us. You gave us each other. Probably the biggest gift we could ever have received. Nate, you saved us.”

Nate didn’t want to break down and cry. The holidays were always so hard for him, but it had gotten easier if just a bit with them around. 

“We can’t repay you for that, Nate. Ever.”

Parker was right. He wouldn’t be where he was right at that moment if it hadn’t been for the four people sitting with him, sharing a meal, helping people, saving people. That part he wouldn’t trade for anything.

“Now open your presents. I wanna see what you got,” Parker said as she hugged a soft robe to the front of her.

There had only been three gifts for him to open, figuring out who had bought what. Hardison’s had been an old coin that supposedly brought luck to the possessor. Eliot’s had been a lithograph he had found of a Japanese artist that Nate had coveted. He had no idea how Eliot had known, but he did. Parker gave him a new robe, having taken his one day when she needed it. He had no idea why. Sophie had given her a new one for Christmas, which she was now wrapped in for some reason. The new one was much more comfortable too whereas the last one was on its last legs with holes. 

Sophie just winked at him as he opened the last gift. Parker wondered out loud what her gift was, but Eliot just poked her, taking her out of her thoughts on the matter. Dinner was shared, clean up finally done. The three took their leave after a few jokes were told. Sophie had already wandered upstairs by the time he turned the lights off and made sure that the place was as secure as he could get it from the common criminals. It wouldn’t keep the other three out, especially Parker.

That smell hit him again as he opened the door to his bedroom. Sophie stood in the middle of the room, her back to him. And what a back it was. The lingerie she had on showed it in all its glory. Her hair was pinned to the side to show him why she’d bought the thing in the first place.

“My gift?”

The sides were long, with a slit to show one shapely leg. As she turned, Nate could see her sly smile appear.

“Seemed like the perfect gift.”

“It most certainly is,” Nate said as he made his way over to her.

“Is it Christmas here yet?” Sophie asked as his arms came around her.

Nate glanced at the clock. 12:20 am, December 25th.

“Just passed,” he replied as his hand worked its way to her back.

“Merry Christmas, Nate.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: The timing of the episodes in this season don’t quite work correctly. The Lonely Hearts Club Job was broadcast on December 25th (Who does this, TNT? What the hell? No one watches TV on Christmas.) So, I’m placing this right after Boys’ Night Out Job, which was broadcast December 18th. There must be some time between Lonely Hearts Club and Boys’ Night Out Job since the wardrobe doesn’t go with cold weather.


	5. Year Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate tells a story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dammit, Nate.

Year Five:

Takes place at the end of “The Toy Job” season five

Nate was wrecked. It wasn’t the job. That had gone off without a hitch. Baby Feels A Lot or whatever they had finally named it was a hit, except it wasn’t exactly real. They had managed to take an unsafe toy off the market and had gotten a good man a job where he could make a difference.

Nate didn’t know if he could make a difference, but he was trying. His plan, the plan he had started when moving to Portland was almost ready. He’d know better once the new year had passed if it was going to work. He just needed to bide his time and play his cards right. 

The team had agreed on no gifts this year. Finally. It wasn’t like any of them needed anything tangible. They all had or could buy anything they wanted in the world that was concrete. Parker was grumping just a little bit, but she started to buy into sharing as a gift, so that was progress. 

The telling of the story though had brought out something in him that he thought he could bury. Sophie was proud of him that he hadn’t buried himself in the bottle this year as he had done in years past. Even though they shared gifts, he still drank way too much those first four years around the holidays, save for that second year, until the job saving the bar. He still felt like he was one miserable son of a bitch though. 

That trumpet sat in front of him, dinged but still playable. He hadn’t picked it up much in the past few years because it made him remember what he had lost. He had played it while he was sailing a few times if just to work out the cobwebs. It was like riding a bike. The first few notes were a bit harsh, but he was able to play it fairly well by the time his summer of adventure was completed. There was no one to critique his playing while sailing the seas such as it was. Eliot and Hardison weren’t the only ones that could play a musical instrument. It might not sound as beautiful as Hardison’s solo or make the girls chase Eliot, but it sounded pretty good.

Picking it up, he started to play, remembering the notes of a piece he had practiced over and over. As he finished the last note, he noticed that he wasn’t alone. He hadn’t realized that the team had followed him when he said he needed some alone time. He hadn’t said it exactly like that but thought that they had gotten the hint. Obviously not.

Parker smiled at him, tears streaming down her face. He saw Hardison wipe a tear from his face, hoping that no one saw what he was doing. Eliot smiled a little, shaking his head. It was Sophie that surprised him. Instead of staying, she turned and left as quickly as she could.

“Wait, Soph. Hold on,” Nate called as he got off the boat.

The other three hung back as Nate ran to catch up with her. He caught her just as she got to the end of the walkway up to the parking. The air was downright chilly, misty rain that threatened to turn to snow later. She had forgotten all about her umbrella, rain soaking through her coat and making her hair curly and wet.

“I didn’t know. I wish, oh I wish I could have at least met him. If I could go back and change it.”

“But you can’t,” Nate answered. “I miss him, god, more than anything. We’re here. Now. You and me. And those three fools that follow us wherever and whatever we might do.”

“I just sometimes, I wonder what could have happened. If he had lived.”

“I know. I can’t keep looking back, Soph. I gotta move forward. Now. Remember when I said. I want to move forward, with you. You are my world now. So are they.”

Sophie took his hand in hers. He could feel her shiver, how cold it was.

“Now, let's get you out of the wet and cold.”

Sophie smiled up at him. The tears she had been shedding were now lost to the rain.

“I do love you, Nate Ford. You vex me so. I think you need to tell the kids that the adults need some alone time.”

He watched as the other three waved goodbye, knowing that he and Sophie needed to be with each other.

“You know, I have a bunk with a soft blanket on that boat.”

Sophie lightly smacked him on the shoulder.

“I also have a nice, huge tub with my name on it. I think that both of us will fit nicely. It’s frigid out here, Nate.”

“Hey, you’re the one who walked away without an umbrella.”

“Exit scene left.”

“I think you walked right.”

“That’s beside the point. Now let’s go. My feet are so cold.”

“Yes, dear.”

“And you’ll draw me a bath. Find that wine I like.”

“Hot Toddy?”

“Wine.”

“Eggnog?”

Sophie took his hand and led him off the dock and into the parking lot.

“Thank goodness you live closer.”

“Gotta live near the boat.”

Sophie rolled her eyes and squeezed his hand tighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Another Christmas episode. This aired December 18th, 2012. The last episode of the series was aired on December 25th. I seriously think that TNT was purposely attempting to kill the show. But whatever. The story that Nate told at the end was a tear-jerker. And we never got to hear him play that trumpet. Well why not? We know he can play it in real life just as Hardison can play that violin and Eliot can play that guitar (the actors can, I mean). I looked at a map of Portland. Nate could live near a marina with his boat nearby.


End file.
